Composition roofing



ing of Portland or other hydraulic cement UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MATTHEW LAFLIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COMPOSlTlON ROOFlNG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,030, dated November 28, 1882.v

Application filed July 27, 1882. (No specimens.)

To all whom itmcy concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW LAFLIN, residing at Chicago, in the coui i ty of Cook and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Composition Roofing, of which the following is a full description.

.The object of this invention is to provide a cheap, light, and durable composition roof; and its nature consists in providing the roof with a stratum of clay-mortar and a covering of hydraulic cement.

In making and applying my rooting I take a. roof which is cox'ered with the usual sheathing of boards. Where the roof has no greater pitch than that given to roofs of the class known as flat roofs no special preparation of the sheathing or boards is required. If a considerable incline or pitch is given to the roof, it will be advisable in such cases to roughen the boards or drive nails therein, leaving the head sufficiently high to be surrounded by the clay l of the roofing. When the boards or sheathing are properly prepared I then cover them with tempered or wet clay to a depth or thickness varyingusuallyfrom one-halftoone-inch,which will be sufficient for all ordinary roofs; but in special cases the clay may be applied with greater or less thickness, as may be desired. I then apply to the surface of the clay a coatmixed with sand, broken stone, or gravel to the depth or thickness of one-half of an inch, more or less, the mixture of sand and the depth of half an inch being what I deem best for ordinary nses. Fine gravel will serve equally well, while for a greater thickness or depth of the cement coverin g broken stone or coarser gravel will be preferable, and the hydraulic cement may be mixed With any durable material to which it will firmly adhere.

When the roof formed in this manner is dry it forms a light, durable, and thoroughly water and fire proof roofing.

Most, if not all, of the clays will be improved by tempering or working them, as is done for manufacturing it into brick or tile.

A roof of this construction does not expand or contract under the influence of water or moisture or of heat, so that I avoid cracks, and form a roof which is sufliciently firm in its structure to bear the weight of persons walking over it without injury.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is as follows:

I A roof composed of a layer of clay,-spread when Wet or plastic upon the sheathing or boards, and covered with a layer of hydrauliccement composition, substantially as specified.

MATTHEW LAFLIN.

'Witnesses:

O. W. Bonn, B. A. PRICE. 

